Rotary engine



'(No Model.)

y Patented June 1.4, 1898.

l IIIIIIIIIIIHH .UNITED lSTATES PATENT OFFICE..

wILsoN nULL rnlLLIrs; or: n-'AurUrL rENNsYLv'ANm.

RoTAR'v ENGINE.

v'SPI?.CIliI'LAJIQN forming part of Letters Iatent No. 605,585,1dated J' une 14,1898. '1., lppncanon'iea May 18,1897. stan No. 637,079. (roman.)

To @ZZ whom, it may concern: Be it known that I, WILSON IIULL PHIL- LIPS, a citizen ofthe United States, residing at lVampum. in the county of Lawrence and State of -Ien1.sylvania', have invented a new and useful Rotary Engine, of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to rotary engines,

the principal objects being to reduce the fric-` tion between the moving parts to the smallest amount possible, to insure tightr joints and obviate leaking of the steam, whieh'is the chief source of detracting -from the efficiency and to improve the general construction and render the parts ac cessible for oiling, cleaning, repairing, or'for any required purpose.

Objects and advantages other than those herein mentioned will become apparent'and suggest themselves to those skilled in the art as the details of tlie invention are understood; and to this end and such others as appertain to the characterofthe invention reference is. -to be hadt-o the following description and the aceompai-iying drawings.

The improvement is susceptible of various changes in tllo form, proportion, and the minor details of construction without departing from the principle or sacrilicin g any of the advantages thereof, and to a vfull disclosure of the invention an adaptation thereof is shown in the accompanying drawings, in-wl1icl1 p Figure 1 is a vertical `central longitudinal section` of an engine specially designed for attaining the objects of this invention. Fig. 2

is a vertical central transverse section. Fig. 3 is a plan section midway of the engine. Fig.

4 is an inner view of the upper half of ,the cylindcr.

Fig. 5 is a detail View of a rotary head as lseen-from the inne'l` side. Fig. G is a transverse section ol' one of the wings andthe spacingstrip, constituting yparts of the piston.

Fig. G, looking in the direction of the arrow,

Fig. 7 is a section on the line X X of Fig. S is a section on the line Y Y of Fig. 3, looking to the right, as designated by the arrow. Fig. i) is almodilication,dispensin g with the-rotary heads. p

Corresponding and like parts are referred to in the following description and indicated in the several views of the accompanying drawings bygthesame reference characters.

The operating parts of the enginel are inclosed within a box-shaped case l, the ends or heads of which are secured together by tierods 2,whieh have their end portions threaded and extending through openings 3 in the ends orheads l and receiving nuts 5, by means of which the said end pieces are heldin place. The case is adapted to be secured to a suitable bed or foundation in any of the usual ways.V A box 6 is provided on the outers'le of each end piece 4 and receives bearing;- blocks 7, which are adjustable by means of set-screws S, so as' to center the shaft 9 and secure a close fit between the bearing-blocks and the said shaft. A stuffing-box 10, of ,or dinaryeonstruction, is provided at the outer end of each journal-box 6 to secure a steamtight joint between the shaft Ai) and the end pieces of the case.

The cylinder 1l has an outer rim or flange lwallsubeing connect-ed bya lengitudin, .l partition 15, dividing the steam-chest into two compartments, the one serving to receive live steam and the other exhaust-steam, and each compartment comn'ninicating with the interior of the cylinder by ports 16, formed in the inner wall of the steam-chest. These ports 16 are located at intervals in the length of the cylinder', so as to admit and exhaust steam at various points between the ends of the'cylinder, thereby adding materially to the electiveness of the engine. The `outer wall has ports 17 rnon opposite sides of vthe partition 15, and i ipes 18 connect with 'the ports 1.7, the one .supplying andthe other exhausting the steam. 'lhe'abntment 19, by means of which a stcam-tight joint is maintained between the cylinder and piston, is located in a groove formed in theinner side of the partition 15 and is adjustable to allow for wear by means of set-screws 20, which project into openings in the top of the case and are accessible at all times to set the abutment up against the piston to obviate .any leakage.

Thepiston comprises, essentially, alliub or spaces 25, formed on the inner' sides of the slide in as the piston rotates,

l of

endpiecesw. Each rotary head 23 has a recess 26 to"receive the adjacent end of the hub or druml, notches 27 to receive keys 28, by means of vwhich the rotary heads and hub are secured, so to revolve together, and radial grooves 2.0 for the ends or" the wings 22 to the wings being the `cylinder and extending a short dist nce beyond the ends thereof.

he win Ms are separated at their inner edges by stri do, which is grooved in its opposite longer than sides rece e caching-strips 3l,.by means ot' which a ti joint is maintained between 'tue spe p 50 and the sides or walls of the long l lot 32 of the hub or drum s 2, Each wing is similarly formed and comprises side plates and au intermediate strip 34, the outer edges o the side plates'and the inner and outer edges of the strip 34 being rounded,- so as to secure a close iit with the inner wail of the cylinder` Each side plate is thickened on its inner face for a short distance from its outer edge, as shown at 35, and the inner edge of this thickened part 35 is beaded or rounded, as shown at 36, the thickened part being ot' a depth approximating the Width of the strip 34. Aroclier-bearing 37 is located in the space formed between the side plates 33, contiguous to the parts and 36, and is curved on its inner face and has a middle and side seats at its outer face, the middle seat 39 conforming to the rounded edge of the strip 3 and the side sea-ts 40 conforming to and receiving the bead or rounded edges 36 of the thickened portions 35. A follower has a curved seat on its outer face to receim rocker-bearing 37, and its inner fsce is st and has the outer end of a spring i3 bearing thereon and tending to move the `Wing outward, said spring 43 being interposed oetween the follower e2 and the strip 80, which. latter is depressed to receive the inner end et the said cring. Y Theends ed, as shown at e spring in place. f of the springs Lt3 as i tneywill 'neidisleng the space .nner po tions ci the side fyin timated, the Wings einst the Walls 'of ci the springs 43, and.

have indezon of the rockerthe inner edge l permits one plate 33 to dei., so There wir move outward andthe opposite plate to move inward, a close joint being maintained by reason of the curved seats 39 and 40 and the rounded edges of thetparts fitted therein.

When the engine is to be driven in oe dibe required; but when the engine is coustructed to be reversedaslidewalve 46 is provided to operate in a steam-chestl 47' and to control ports 482 The exhaust 49 is spanned by the valve 46 and is adapted to be brought into communication with either of the ports 48, thereby exhausting the steam from either side ofthe piston, whereas the live steam entering the port 50 passes into the chest 47, and from the latter through the uncovered port 48 into/the cylinder, so as to drive the piston in the required direction.

It will be understood that in constructing the 'engine for special purposes, as for minin g and other operations where lightness is a de- Bideratum, to secure portability the rotary heads 23 may be dispensed with, the inner faces of the ends 4 coming flush with the endsof the cylinder and having packing-rings 4i to bear against the extremities of the hub or drum.

The salient features of the invention, as

herein described, may be applied to air-compressors, pumps, and like mechanisms comprising a cylinder and piston as will be readily understood.

Having thus described the invention, what or rotary part,

',i'ection, no valve other than the throttle will l vI oo a piston heads of the case and eccentric with reference to the. cylinder and having its end portions projecting beyond the cylinder into the recessesof the heads of the case, and rotary heads secured upon-the shaft of the piston to revolve therewith and located in the aforesaid recesses and bearing against the ends of 'the cylinder, substantially as set forth.

2. In a rotary engine, the combination'of a case having circular recesses formed in the inner sides of its heads, a cylinder located within the case and secured between the heads thereof and eccentricallydisposed with reference to the said circular rece'sses, a pis- /ton concentric with the circular recesses and eccentric with respect to the cylinder and having its end portions projecting beyond the ends of the cylinder and entering the recesses formed in `the, heads of the case, and having a diametrical slot extending beyond the extremities of the cylinder, wings slidably mounted in the said diametrical slot, and rotary heads scoured to the end portions of the piston -shaft and located in the aforo described circular recesses with their inner faces abutting against the ends of the cylinder, and

.tions of the piston and having radially-disposed grooves in which operate the end portions'of the wings, substantially as set forth.

3. In a rotary engine, the combination of a case having circular recesses formed in `the inner sides of its heads,'a'cylinder located within the case and secured between the heads thereof with itslbore eccentric to the said circular recesses, a piston concentric with y the said ci reular recesses and eccentric to the cylinder and having its end portions projecting beyond the ends of the cylinder into the recessed heads of the case. and having a diametrical slot, wings slidably monntedin the said diametrical slot, rotary heads mounted n pon the end portions of thepiston-shaft and located in the aforesaid circular recesses with .their inner faces bearing against the ends of the cylinder and having their inner faces recessed to receive the projecting end portions of the piston and formed with radial grooves, and notches, the latter corresponding with similar notches in theprojecting ends of the piston, and keys fitted in the notches of the rotary heads and piston to canse these parts to revolve in unison,snbstanti ally as set forth. y 4. In a rotary engine, the combination with a cylinder, and a slotted hub, of a' wing coin-v prising side plates having their outer edge portions thickened on their inner sides, a rocker-bearing, a follower forming 'a seat for the rocker-bearing, and a spring exerting an outward pressure on the follower, substantially as set forth. 5. In a rotary engine, the combination with a cylinder, and a slotted hub, of a wing corn-A prising side plates thickened on their inner faces attheir outer edges, an intermediate slot, of a strip movable laterally in the said slot and of a corresponding width thereto, packing-strips located in grooves inthe sides of the said strip and bearing against the walls of the aforesaid slot, wings at opposite sides of the strip and bearing against the inner wall of the cylinder, and springs housed and protect'ed by the wings and interposed between the latter and the aforesaid strip, substantially as set forth.

v 7. In a rotary engine, the combination with I a cylinder, anda slotted hub, of a strip l0- cated and 'movable transversely within the slotted hub, `wings upon opposite sides of the strip, each comprising side plates thickened at their enter edges on their innersides, a strip intermediate'of the thickened portions, a rocker-`nearing provided with eats to receive the' inner edges of the intermediate stripand thickened portions, a follower, and

aspring interposed between the follower and f asidev of the strip,substantially as and for the purpose set forth. 'r

. In testilnony that l claim the foregoing as my own l have hereto aiiixed my signature in the presence of two Witnesses.

' WILSON HULL PHYEF Witnesses f D. I. CAMPBELL,

Jes. A. GARDNER. 

